I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about politics beyond a very basic, values-based approach, which is slightly left of centre. I don’t support Scottish independence, and I don’t have anything against the Scottish Labour Party. Yet, despite these things, I’ve always been a big fan of Nicola Sturgeon. I know some of my friends find me naïve, but I never had any doubt of her innocence when the corruption charges were made and smpathy for her as the tasteless TV coverage of her house searches were broadcast. So, it was a natural choice that when my husband, Mick, saw a signed copy of Nicola Sturgeon’s autobiography Frankly in an independent bookshop in Beverley, he’d treat me to it. I was very pleased to receive it.

So that’s the background, and now to the read. Or almost… I’d heard a couple of interviews that Nicola had done about the book. I know she was on Off Air with Jane & Fi with Jane Garvey and Fi Glover, and they felt that she hadn’t called out Alex Salmond more. She was also interviewed on The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell and said largely the same spiel about the book. So I had a good idea of what I would be reading. I guess Frankly didn’t give me any surprises, and I can see why the criticisms that it wasn’t frank hold water, but it was, I think, fairly open and true. Yes, it wasn’t a kiss-and-tell-all, but why should it be? I think we learned more about Nicola Sturgeon’s life and insight than many other celebrity ghost-written autobiographies.

What stood out to me in Frankly is that Sturgeon had conviction, had beliefs, and has stayed true to them. She wanted independence, and that has been the driving force throughout her political career. It still is, and she still believes that there will be independence for Scotland in the next 20 years. She talked about philosophical independence supporters and then those, like her, who are nationalists because they think it is better for Scotland. I understood entirely what she meant as she explained how little the workings of Westminster have to do with Scotland, and how it ended up being in a Brexit that the Scottish people hadn’t voted for. My insight into the political ruminations north and south of the border was increased.

What also struck me was Nicola Sturgeon’s unwavering commitment to her role and her effective leadership. While I disagreed with many of her educational policies, it was evident from Frankly that she approached her responsibilities with genuine dedication. She demonstrated a profound understanding of policy areas that many politicians might overlook. Notably, she openly acknowledged the complexities she faced and was candid about areas where she lacked expertise, a refreshing contrast to the often opaque nature of political discourse.

The book also offers intriguing anecdotes, such as the behind-the-scenes dynamics during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Sturgeon recounts humorously how UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s team attempted to prevent her from being photographed with U.S. President Joe Biden. She admitted that her own insistence on ensuring the photograph happened was as equally childish as not being allowed to be photographed in the first place!

Character-wise, Sturgeon is likeable. She loves to read, so that’s a big help in me forming a favourable opinion of her, and indeed she is good friends with authors such as Val McDermid. It is clear she has been shy and also has had to manage being a woman in a traditional man’s world. She speaks candidly of ‘Me Too’ incidents and other perception matters, such as the infamous Daily Mail “Legs-it” front page, where instead of focusing on the political meeting between her and Theresa May, the paper chose to comment on their legs. Outrageous in such recent times. She rightly addresses issues like this throughout Frankly, focusing on how women’s attire is more important to the media than a man’s ever would be, and how, as a young politician, she often dressed somberly to be treated seriously. It’s clear how such coverage diminishes serious political discourse and why she highlights the ongoing scrutiny women in politics face simply because of their gender.

Moving on it is impossible to write a review without addressing her political relationship and friendship with Alex Salmond, the accusations against him and their eventual fallout. She talks about how she grieved politically when they fell out, and how when he actually died, she kind of grieved again. I could see how he has family and why she would opt to not say more than she needed to do when he has no right of reply and it would be hurtful to his family. What stood out was Sturgeon’s decency. What also came through was not only her vulnerability but her caution, and it’s here that the critics probably have a point. It does feel a touch ironic that the book is called Frankly, when some of the most significant parts of her story are handled so carefully and with such restraint. It’s not that she isn’t honest, more that she’s selective, and that inevitably softens the impact of what might have been a more revealing read.

Last week, I was lucky enough to listen to Nicola Sturgeon speak about her book at Wigtown Book Festival. She was likeable, friendly, and polished. In her book, she talks about how she did a lot of political canvassing and had to do the same speech over and over. I felt a little bit the same with her book talk. It was nice, but felt like it had been shared more than a few times. I guess I found this a shame, but realistically she wasn’t about to suddenly do a reveal for Wigtown. It was nice to think she had been to the festival before though, and again her love of writing and reading came through. In fact, she said while she knows it isn’t that easy, writing a novel is on the cards and something she has started, something she also alluded to in Frankly.

I don’t have a lot to compare Frankly to. I’m not a big reader of biography or political memoirs so can’t speak with a lot of authority. However, if you are interested in learning a politician’s journey to the international platform, without any edge, chips on shoulders, or sense of superiority, then I would definitely recommend Frankly as an insightful, interesting and accessible read.